The Fall
by hausofwhimsy
Summary: Inspired by Florence   the Machine. Caroline can't go through with Cave's last request.


Anger boiled within her, tears falling in rivers down her cheeks. Caroline would do anything for Cave, _had always _done anything for him. But, now that he was dead, the burden of his last request from her felt like the weight of the world. The GLaDOS project was almost done…time was running out. Upon witnessing the mentality-stripping process, Caroline could find no solace to sleep with the terror the seized her heart; when she did finally nod off, her mind was filled with screaming scientists and their blood running a river through the halls of Aperture. She was afraid, and she didn't want to give up her life to become a machine.

Give up her life to live forever. What irony.

Thus, Caroline sat on the railing of a catwalk, high above the murky sludge that ran below; to her, it was as beautiful as the crystal blue brook she and Cave would picnic beside on those rare days he wanted to venture outside of the facility for lunch breaks.

"Caroline, what are you doing?" She started, pulled from her reverie at the sound of the young scientist's voice – she was the CEO, hated being the CEO, yet still had to answer any questions the employees brought her way. Slowly, she turned to face the young man, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth hanging agape. Her eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with heavy dark circles, cheeks blotchy from tears that had marred her makeup. She looked like a ghost of a person, not the usually cheerful former secretary of Cave Johnson. Swallowing, the man slowly stepped closer. "Please…come over the railing. I…I won't call security if you just take my hand." He reached out his appendage, still crawling toward her. She smiled; an image the scientist knew would always haunt him, and allowed herself to plunge down the chasm that lead to her salvation. She didn't hear the scientist's shout, didn't hear the other employees screaming as the wind whipped past her, billowing her dress out like a parachute – only heard the one thought that entered her mind:

_I'm flying!_

Caroline laughed as she soared through the air, the repulsion gel an utter success! Mr. Johnson watched her from the ground, grinning broadly.

"Would you look at that! Come on over here, Caroline, and let me catch you!"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Johnson!" Caroline shifted her direction mid-air, allowing herself to be propelled toward Cave the moment she hit another splotch of repulsion gel. He prepped himself with arms outstretched, but the force of her caused them both to be sent tumbling into a tangled heap of laughter. "That's some great stuff, Mr. Johnson!" Caroline managed to say once they had both regained their breath.

"I'll say! You sure looked fantastic up there, soaring through the air. Hell, with that dress flowing out around you, I almost thought you were an angel sent from heaven." His voice was calm, but proud. _My angel, _he thought smugly. Caroline only shook her head, her laughter quickly becoming shy.

"Oh, sir," she placed a hand on her cheek in an effort to hide the blush rising up her cheeks. Cave smiled, enamored with her modesty, and grabbed her around the waist to pull her into his lap. She didn't meet his eyes, but he noticed how her breath grew quick and shallow. Damn, she was beautiful. Softly, he took her chin in his hand and tilted her head up, her eyes meeting his as their lips met. She melted into him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

She wanted to be his angel, forever.

Tears flew out of her eyes, but the smile still graced her lips. Caroline relished in the wind whipping her hair, fluttering the fabric of the dress she had worn in the gel testing room so many years ago. She put it on just for today, so that she could be Cave's angel one more time.

_Yes, _she thought triumphantly. _I will die Cave's angel, and death will reunite him with his angel._

Her smile didn't falter the moment she hit the water; in fact, the second just before her neck snapped was the most blissful moment she had experienced in years.


End file.
